A Mother's Love
by IWalkBlindlyIntoTheShadows
Summary: Never doubt a mother's love. They love with a fire that could never be matched. They will fight and maybe even kill for their kits. Sometimes, they'll even fight when there is nothing to fight for. Over 700 words. (SolarClan challenge)


Icefang stood back as Duskleaf helped his mate give birth. The storm outside roared in his ears and he couldn't help but worry for Dawnflower. She was strong, sure, but this had been, and was probably going to be, a harsh leafbare. He worried if she was going to make it or not. It also didn't help that the kits were being born half a moon earlier then they should. As the dark gray medicine cat nudged the last one to its mother, it was obvious the tom had is doubts.

"Four healthy kits," He mumbled. "A she-cat and three toms."

His blue eyes flickered from Icefang to Dawnflower, and the white tom dug in claws into the ground.

"Then what's wrong?"

"They're too small. They shouldn't have been born yet. I think it would be best if-"

"If what?" Dawnflower suddenly snapped. This was very unlike the golden tabby.

"I understand these are your first kits, and that you've wanted them for a long time, but-" Once more she caught the medicine cat off.

"They _will_ make it. I know it. If you try to take these kits away from me, I'll claw your eyes out." Both toms were too stunned to say anything, or even move. "I want to talk to my mate alone."

Duskleaf left the nursery, mumbling something so quiet that Icefang had almost missed it.

"Poor scraps... Won't even last a moon..." Icefang looked at his mate's belly and finally understood what he meant. The kits were much smaller then Dawnflower's denmate, Quailfeather's, kits were when they had been born. The smallest of the toms almost looked dead if not for small rise and fall of his flanks. He look at step forward as the golden tabby rested her head on one of her white paws.

"What should we name them?" She purred. Icefang looked the kits over. He noticed that the she-cat carried Dawnflower's father, Graytail's, pelt.

"Let's name the she-kit Graykit." He suggested. His mate seemed to approve as she rasped her tongue over the little kit's head.

"Graykit." She tried the name out for herself with a purr. "I want to name the ginger one Firekit, after the ThunderClan cat from legend."

_Odd. I guess it's because he also helped out RiverClan too in the past._

"The black and white one should bee Swiftkit."

"And the smallest one, the white tom, should be Snowkit." Icefang realized that Dawnflower had returned to her usual self. He was glad to find her again. His mate. Not the she-cat who hissed at her own father's brother.

* * *

As the days passed, Icefang made it a goal to check on his mates and kits daily. Though they got no stronger, they got no weaker either. Duskleaf would constantly check as well, the white warrior noticed, but never entered the nursery unless he needed to. One day a bad storm blew through and destroyed the warriors, elders, and leader's dens. The elders had to stay in the medicine cat den and all warriors and apprentice were working for three days straight with little to no breaks as they tried to fix the dens and still had to patrol and hunt.

They lost several warriors, apprentices, elders, and even their deputy, Palewhisker. Icefang was most hurt over the loss of his mother, Doveflight, who died in a border skirmish the day after the storm. He knew Watertail, his closest friend, was also suffering a lot of loss. His mate, Mossyfoot died; he lost his apprentice, Frogpaw; his elderly father, Jumptail, died in the storm, as well as his three sisters and younger brothers.

As they finished and the fourth day arrived, which would just be getting the elders to their new den safely, Icefang finally found himself able to visit his mate. Quailfeather had moved out of the nursery on day two because Rainstar had made her kits apprentices a few days before their time. Thankfully Icefang had not been given an apprentice to train.

As he stepped into the nursery, he noticed an odd scent that he couldn't place at this time. His nose was too cold to even catch the scent of fresh-kill that sat only a tail length away from the nursery.

"Everything alright, Dawnflower?" He finally asked, approaching the golden tabby.

"Yes, the kits are just resting."

"What's that smell?" He scrunched up his nose.

"I don't know what smell you're talking about." As he came closer, he noticed that the kits seemed oddly still. He watched their flanks, as is check for some sign. After a moment, his blood went as cold as the wind outside.

"They're dead." He gasped under his breath.

"Hm?"

"Our kits, they're dead." Dawnflower flicked her tail.

"I told you, they're asleep." She hissed. "They're just tired."

"Dawnflower, how long have they been that way?" Panic filled his mind and his voice.

"Icefang, don't raise your voice." There it was. The she-cat who mothered the kits, but wasn't his mate, his Dawnflower.

"We need to take them out to bury the-" Before he could finish, the shecat pounced at him, claws unsheathed.

"You are _not_ taking my kits away from me!" She yowled, digging her claws into his pelt. Instinctively, Icefang used one of his back paws to kick her off. Before she could try to attack him again, Duskleaf came running in. She looked towards the medicine cat, green eyes flickering in anger. Before he even had a chance to stop her, she slashed the dark gray tom's throat. Songheart, the pretty medicine cat apprentice, let out a yowl of shock and grief as she saw what happened to her mentor of nine moons.

As warriors came in and managed to hold Dawnflower down, he helped others as they took the kits out to bury. After the kits were buried, Rainstar and his new deputy, Carpsplash, talked. It was not too long after that she was exiled. Songheart became the new medicine cat with a heavy heart, still grieving for her mentor and her best friend even days after he was killed. After about a moon she did lighten up, but Icefang never did. He had no mate, no kits, and a feeling of not belonging in RiverClan anymore.

But he stayed, knowing his loyalty could only lay there. Sometimes, on patrols, he would think he saw her. Now Dawnflower, but the she-cat who killed Duskleaf. As the murders started, he already knew who it was.

It was _her_.


End file.
